Cutler, offense not a factor, but it's not a big deal

Bears' defense, special teams take control

November 13, 2011|By Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune reporter

It's difficult to imagine a lopsided victory in which a quarterback is less a factor than Jay Cutler was Sunday.

"Didn't have to do a whole lot," Cutler said. "Hand it off, complete a few passes early on. The way the defense was playing and Devin (Hester) setting us up with that score, we were limited in our action."

The Bears' defense scored two touchdowns and set up another. Hester scored a touchdown on a punt return.

The offense was mostly a bystander.

Cutler was 9 of 19 for 123 yards, but he did lead the Bears on two eight-play drives that resulted in field goals, another eight-play drive that resulted in a missed field goal and a six-play drive that resulted in a field goal.

Cutler actually threw the ball well early in the game when throws were important. He also did not throw an interception.

"We were kind of put in a situation just kind of not to lose it — just run out the clock, control the ball," he said.

Ball security was a bit of an issue in the second quarter.

Cutler had a bad exchange with Matt Forte that was recovered by the Lions. He also lost a ball when Lions defensive end Cliff Avril hit him as he threw. It might have been ruled a fumble had Cutler not hit the ball forward with his hand after he lost control of it. As it was, after a replay review, it was ruled an incomplete pass.

He had another fumble that no one thought was a fumble at the time, and subsequently there was no scramble to recover it. The ball went back to the Bears.

The game will not pad Cutler's statistics very much. And it may not do much for his wallet, either.

Earl Bennett had success wearing orange shoes against the Eagles, but incurred a $5,000 fine from the NFL for the uniform violation. Cutler covered the tab for his buddy, and offered to do so again Sunday.

"He asked me before the game, "Yay or nay?" Cutler said. "I was like, 'Yeah, can't back out now.' This game took a little bit of a check out of my wallet."